1196: Is Muhammad peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) created from light? What is wrong with celebrating his birthday?

In our locality there are people who hold
celebrations of the birthday of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) every year. They think that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) is not like the rest of mankind, but that he is light from the Light of Allaah
Himself, that he is present and watching in every place, and that he himself attends every
gathering held to celebrate his birthday, he hears what the people say about him, and he
is there with them. For that reason they stand up and say in unison: “Yaa
Nabi-Allaah, yaa Rasool-Allaah, yaa Habeeb-Allaah, salaam ‘alayka (O Prophet of
Allaah, O Messenger of Allaah, O Beloved of Allaah, peace be upon you).” They call
out to him as if he were present and ask for his help and support. What is the Islamic
ruling on this? Is it correct or not? Is it sunnah, bid’ah, or what?

Published Date: 1998-07-08

Praise be to Allaah alone, and peace and blessings be upon
His Messenger and his family and companions.

Celebrating the birthday of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is an innovation (bid’ah)
which goes against the guidance of the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and of the Rightly Guided Khaleefahs
(al-khulafaa’ al-raashidoon) and the Sahaabah, may Allaah be
pleased with them. It is proven that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whoever does anything
that is not part of this matter of ours (i.e., Islam), will have it rejected.”
(For more details, please see Question # 249).

Believing that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) is not like the rest of humanity, and
that he is light from the Light of Allaah Himself is not a correct belief,
because it contradicts the Qur’aan. Allaah has stated that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
is human, and has explained what makes the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) different from the rest of mankind.
He said (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): ‘I am only a man like you. It
has been inspired to me that your God is One God (Allaah). So whoever hopes
for the Meeting with his Lord, let him work righteousness and associate none
as a partner in the worship of his Lord.” [al-Kahf 18:110]

Mankind, human beings, are created, as Allaah says (interpretation
of the meaning):

“O mankind! Be dutiful to your Lord, Who created you from
a single person (Adam), and from him He created his wife (Hawwa/Eve), and
from them both He created many men and women…” [al-Nisaa’ 4:1]

“O mankind, if you are in doubt about the Resurrection,
then verily! We have created you from dust, then from a nutfah (mixed drops
of male and female sexual discharge)…” [al-Hajj 22:5]

“O Prophet! Verily, We have sent you as witness, and a
bearer of glad tidings, and a warner, - and as one who invites to Allaah by
His leave, and as a lamp spreading light.” [al-Ahzaab 33:45-46]

In contrast, Allaah is the First, and He has no beginning, as
He says (interpretation of the meaning):

“He is the First (nothing is before Him) and the Last (nothing
is after Him), the Most High (nothing is above Him), and the Most Near (nothing
is nearer than Him). And He is the All-Knower of every thing.” [al-Hadeed
57:3]

Allaah called His Prophet “light” and a “lamp
spreading light” because of the guidance and light with which Allaah
sent him, with which Allaah guides all those who answer his call
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), as He says (interpretation of
the meaning):

“… Indeed, there has come to you a light (Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him)) and a plain Book (this Qur’aan).” [al-Maa’idah 5:15]

Saying that he is present and watching in every place, that
he is himself present at every gathering to celebrate his birthday, and
that he hears what the people present are saying, is all false. There is
no basis for this in either the Qur’aan or the Sunnah.

Calling on him and seeking his help and support is a form
of major shirk which is not permitted, whether one is calling on the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
or on any other created being, because Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning):

“… so invoke not anyone along with Allaah.”
[al-Junn 72:18]

“And whoever invokes (or worships) besides Allaah, any
other god of whom he has no proof, then his reckoning is only with his Lord.
Surely! Al-kaafiroon (the disbelievers) will not be successful.” [al-Mu’minoon
23:117]

(Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah, 3/4)

The Muslim should follow, not innovate. He should believe in
Allaah alone, call on Him alone and seek His help alone. He should not call
on or seek the help of anyone else. The consequences of shirk are devastating,
as it will wipe out all a person’s good deeds and lead to his doom in Hell.
Bid’ah is a serious matter, which will cause a person’s deeds to be
thrown back at him, not accepted. The Muslim should love, respect, honour and
obey the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah
be upon him), and give his words precedence over the words of any other human
being, but it is not permitted to exaggerate about him, or to raise his status
above that which has been bestowed upon him by Allaah, or to call on him instead
of Allaah, because this is a violation of the rights of Allaah, and involves
directing acts of worship to someone other than Allaah, when they should only
be directed towards Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. We ask Allaah to
help us to do that which will please Him and to avoid that which will earn His
wrath, and to help us to love Him and His Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him). May Allaah bless our Prophet Muhammad.
And Allaah knows best.